David Brooks and his wife split up in 2013, after decades of marriage. Adrift, the New York Times columnist threw himself into his writing. Brooks’s fortune took a surprising turn during a hike in Aspen, when he stopped to read a book of Puritan prayers. It was the first step in his journey towards Christian faith—and a second […]
Free-range Expertise
You don’t need a head start. You don’t need 10,000 hours. And you certainly don’t need to specialize in anything while you’re still a kid. With RANGE, a treatise against the cult of deliberate practice, journalist and sportswriter David Epstein makes the case for how people who learn a little about a lot of things […]
Strength in Weakness
Good business isn’t just about buying and selling. It’s also about generosity—giving and taking. We often think of independence as a virtue, especially in the Western world. But the research on networking tells a different story, in which receiving help from others actually boosts your reputation. Here’s an interesting example: Allowing yourself to express vulnerability […]
Don’t Worry, Be Unhappy
Mark Manson says that the modern world is hopeless. Or, more accurately, he says EVERYTHING IS F*CKED. Believe it or not, that’s the good news! Too many self-help books focus on happiness as a goal, but suffering will always be a natural part of life. We can only find real fulfillment, Manson says, when we […]
No pain, no gain?
Most emotional pain, like its physical counterpart, serves a function. The pain of a broken arm discourages you from using it and deepening the damage. Similarly, emotional pain provides a signal that it’s time to stop and reflect, a process that promotes healing. According to spiritual teacher Marianne Williamson, emotional suffering carries important information. People […]
Feeling Lucky?
How much of a role does luck play in investments and other important decisions? Former stock trader and influential statistician-philosopher Nassim Nicholas Taleb is uniquely equipped to examine the question—and the answer he finds in FOOLED BY RANDOMNESS might surprise you. Here are two top insights from our latest Instaread. Key Insight 1: The value of a […]
How Amazon Weathers PR Crises
The Bezos brand is constantly under attack. Amazon’s reputation is routinely called into question by journalists who are skeptical of the company’s business practices. The founder’s personal rep was on the line with his divorce and a scandal with nude photos. And don’t forget that one of Bezos’s biggest detractors happens to be the President […]
How to Talk Your Way Into a Sale
Companies and entrepreneurs should build their business by focusing on the client’s favorite subject: himself.
How to Fail Better
Everyone fails. And according to radio personality Bobby Bones, that’s good news. He says that failure is so common that most people are too preoccupied with their own mistakes to pay attention to yours. The lesson? Don’t waste your time or mental energy on spiraling into self-consciousness after a misstep. Instead, leverage that surge of self-awareness […]
The Small Business Trap
Why do so few small businesses survive their first few years of operation? Consultant Michael E. Gerber says it’s because too many owners focus on day-to-day operations at the expense of long-term strategy. The good news is that it’s possible to build strategic vision like a muscle. Learn how in our Instaread on THE E-MYTH […]
